I would think about going full winters year round but they don't do he speed rating of the four season tyres

 

Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme - W - 168mph

As I said in the original post, I have experience of the kleber's so looking for real world opinions on the alternatives.. So at the moment it is between the goodyear vectors and the Kleber's and the kleber's are ahead on price.

I would think about going full winters year round but they don't do he speed rating of the four season tyres

You like the klebers?

User reviews I found and now the EU label markings indicate not great wet performance, how do you find them? This has put me off trying them. (They are pushed by my tyre place)

Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme - W - 168mph

Those are what I had on my A4 a couple of years ago )slightly wider). I currently have a lesser speed rated version un my Vitara. Great tyres

You like the klebers?

User reviews I found and now the EU label markings indicate not great wet performance, how do you find them? This has put me off trying them. (They are pushed by my tyre place)

On the little a2 they have been great but it doesn't get hammered, much.

snow_muncher: didn't realise they did that rating but might be due to the size I was searching for 195/65/15's

You like the klebers?

User reviews I found and now the EU label markings indicate not great wet performance, how do you find them? This has put me off trying them. (They are pushed by my tyre place)

 

The EU ratings are not very good for winter tyres as I think all tests are done under standardised conditions, which are not within a winter tyre's operational range. I personally find winter tyres better than standard ones in the wet when its cold, ~5ºc.

The EU ratings are not very good for winter tyres as I think all tests are done under standardised conditions, which are not within a winter tyre's operational range. I personally find winter tyres better than standard ones in the wet when its cold, ~5ºc.

But I want to use them all year

My current fronts are past their best and have struggled in the recent wet weather. I'd rather a set that were good in the wet 100 days a year rather than great in the snow 5 days a year. I'll see what sort of price I can get. 195/65/15s too. Although 91H would do for me.

On the little a2 they have been great but it doesn't get hammered, much.

snow_muncher: didn't realise they did that rating but might be due to the size I was searching for 195/65/15's

 

The smallest size is 205/55R16 94V

Fair enough they're not cheap, but for my needs they're worth every extra penny

 

Wintrac Xtreme S is released this year,  upto Y rated, but limited selection of sizes at mo

Would love to try a set, but closest Y rated size is 245/40R18 

 

 

 

The smallest size is 205/55R16 94V

Fair enough they're not cheap, but for my needs they're worth every extra penny

 

Wintrac Xtreme S is released this year,  upto Y rated, but limited selection of sizes at mo

Would love to try a set, but closest Y rated size is 245/40R18 

If it helps. I did around 15,000 miles on the 245/40/28 Extremes Y rated on my Quattro A4. I found they were superb in the snow (to be expected) and after following an A5 Quattro down a very long and steep hill in a white-out, I discovered they made a big difference on ice. Sadly the A5 driver managed to virtually write his car off on the bend in question, even though he was only travelling at around 15mph. They were also pretty good in rain and excelled in standing water. A colleague of mine driving a modified BMW330D tried to lose me on a wet night going cross country on fast A roads. eventually he gave up and let me past. He then tried to hassle me by sticking on my tail, but as he seemed to keep snapping sideways at regular intervals he gave. up.

 

Ok so he had RWD but he was a lot younger than me and most probably a much better quick driver than I am, but the combo of Vredestein Extremes and Quattro left him for dead, even though he had overdosed on brave pills. The Vred's also improved the ride quality no end I noticed no real difference in mpg although they didn't feel as secure as my regular tyres in the dry (also to be expected). Also I didn't really notice a difference in tyre noise, just a sublet difference in it's tone.

 

Currently I am running 225/17s Vredestein Extremes on my grand Vitara (much more akin to a Yeti I guess) and have found the same attributes occur on the much slower Vitara. Last winter I put them to good use in some heavy snow up in the North East (England) and found they had so much grip in snow that as I was ploughing through a drift on a minor road I eventually had to stop as I was going to stove the front of the car in )I was in low ratio and had the centre diff locked at this point ) They truly are a great snow tyre. I have only lightly tested them in mud and they seem OK (that was in the A4 however)  and finally, they seem to wear reasonably well for a Winter tyre.

 

Oh and they probably are the coolest looking snow tyre on the market

Here is my Audi up near the top of winter hill a few years ago. Super easy and no struggling

 

 

 

 

 

At least I'm not the only person who takes pictures of their grey car sitting round in the snow

 

 

Used them now of pretty much every type of surface going in the UK, throughout the year - they just take it all in their stride

In the words of Duncan Bannatyne, "I'm oot". After some sort of mix up between my wife and the tyre place I'm getting some Goodyear Efficientgrip fitted tomorrow, not Vectors.

Obviously God's way of telling me to expect 3 really bad winters before I change again.

Good luck with your choices and getting what you ask for.

OK had the car mot'd (one drop link, one tie rod end and a bulb. not bad for a 12 year old car ) and managed to get some Klebers for £50+vat only problem is that when they came they were the H rated. gutted :( oh well two more years till the next set